Lawmakers Fix Law That Let Pregnant Women Kill

New Hampshire was one of 30 states to pass laws defining a fetus past 20 weeks as a person, in order to allow legal action if the fetus is killed in an accident or attack. But it was the only state to accidentally allow pregnant women to commit murder without consequence. The bill originally included a caveat that “any act committed by the pregnant woman” wouldn’t apply in instances of second-degree murder, manslaughter, negligent homicide, or causing or aiding suicide. The phrasing was only caught after the bill was passed. “No one advocated for anyone to murder anyone, that was not the intent,” House Majority Leader Dick Hinch told the Concord Monitor. Lawmakers voted to close the loophole, and Gov. Chris Sununu said he plans to sign the bill into law.